Test-tube rack



0 J ne 10, 1930; c, F jw ER 1,763,461

TEST TUBE RACK Filed June 15, 19 27 0 H7 niowoooz o ooooooooooooaonn:boouoo 0o oooooooooooonuool (EoOODO/QQQ ooooooooooooonooe n o no on noo a on on 0,0 no o oo 0 on on on no e oo 9 oo oo pa oo o 0o 0 005 o u a0000000 0 00000000 ooooooooo WITNESSES 12 lNVENTOR E UharZos Fowler MW11 0 ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES CHARLES FOWLER, 0FARDSLEY ON HUDSON, NEW YOBK TEST-TUBE RACK Application filed June 15,

This invention relates to improved medical apparatus, and moreparticularly to an apparatus designed for testing urine or for any otherpurpose in which test tubes are employ-ed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter, composed of several parts which can be conveniently nestedand house test tubes and other apparatus and containers in a relativelysmall space, so that the apparatus as a whole may be convenientlycarried from place to place and will occupy but a minimum of spaceeither in the package, satchel, bag or other container.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this character which canbe manufactured and sold at an extremely low price, which will greatlyfacilitate the testing of urine and the like, and permit convenientmeans for supporting test tubes during the heating or boiling, duringthe cooling action, and during the drying and draining action of thetest tubes.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will be more fullyhereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating myimproved apparatus as a whole, with the parts nested and containing anumber of test tubes althoughit is to be understood of course thatapparatus bottles and other articles may be carried within the apparatusas well as test tubes; 1

Figure 2 is a view in vertical transverse section through the center ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating theemployment of the container member of my apparatus during the heating orboiling of the contents of the test tubes;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, showing the rack member of my improvedapparatus supporting the test tubes while the latter are cooling;

Figure 5 is a perspective View, showing the 1927. Serial No. 199,014.

:rack member supporting the test tubeswhile draining and drying, and inthis View I have omitted the top plate of the rack member for thepurpose of clearness although it is to be understood that the test tubesmay be supported on the rack member without removing the top plate; V

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of one corner oftheremovable top plate of the rack member.

My improved apparatus comprises three separate parts, namely, acontainer member A, a rack member B and a removable top plate C for therack member B. The container member A has a cylindrical perforated wall1, with a plate 2 fixed to one end of the wall and having openings 3therein for the accommodation of test tubes 4 to support the test tubesin upright position with F their lower portions submerged in water 5 inany suitable receptacle 6 for boiling or heatingthe test tubes, asclearly shown in Figure 3. i

The rack member B comprises a perforated base plate 7 of cylindricalform and of h slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of member A soas to fit within the latter.

This base plate A is provided with a number of posts 8. I have shownthree of these posts 8 although of course I may employ any desirednumber. Theupper ends of the post 8 are made with upwardly projectingtongues 9, narrower than the posts, providing shoulders 10 at oppositesides of the tongues.

The top plate G above referred to is made F with slots 11 to receive thetongues 9 and rest upon the upper ends of the posts 8, and this plate Cis also provided with openings 12 for the accommodation of the testtubes 4: while 0 out removing the plate C from the posts 8,

I but for clearness of illustration I have shown this plate removed inFigure 5.

In utilizing the apparatus, the member A is positioned in the container6, as shown in Figure 3, with the test tubes 4: in place and thecontents of the test tubes boiled or heated as desired. Thesetubes arethen removed and placed in-the rack member B for cooling,

as shown in Figure 4, and afterfthe tubes are washed they can beinverted and placed on the pins 13 for draining. and drying. -When theoperation is ended, the top plate C'is removed from rack B, the casingmember A is inverted, as shown in Figure 2 and the plate C is thendisposed inside of member A and the rack B located inside of member A,above the plate C, the test tubes and other containers and articles usedcan be then placed in side of the rack member, so that the entireapparatus will be nested and assembled in small space for packaging,storage and shipment.

My improved apparatus provides a small,

compact, complete means for testing and it supplies a great need becauseheretofore apparatus for this purpose has been cumbersome and occupiedconsiderable space.

While I refer to the member A as cylindrical and the base plate 7 andthe rack B as circular and have so illustrated these parts f as Ibelieve this to be the preferred shape, it is obvious that other shapesmay be employed and various changes might be made in the general formand arrangement of the parts described Without departing from theinvention. I therefore do not limit myself to the precise details setforth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of theappende-dclaim. v

I claim:

A rack of the character described, comprising a perforated baseplate,upstanding posts on the baseplate, removable plates supported on theupper endsofthe posts and having test tubereceiving openings. therein,and upwardly projecting pins on the baseplate adapted to receive testtubes in an inverted position.

CHARLES FOWLER.

